The Writing Process

Hi friends, so sorry I've been away for a long, long time. Truth is life has just been so up and down the past few months it's been so hard to stay on top of things... blogging included. Another issue? I've got a serious case of writer's block. The best thing about being a writer is that you always have plenty of things to write about, but the worst thing about being a writer is that sometimes you have so much going on that even attempting to write about any of it would result in a mess of words that make absolutely no sense. 

It's even been hard to write before bed, which is something I always do. Maybe it's because this time of year is always hard for me, or there's something going on in my head that I haven't even realized is happening yet (did that make sense). Either way, you guys deserved a post so here it is. 

I'm not the only one who gets writer's block. I remember texting my friends sophomore year of high school (a good six years ago) when huge papers were due in our Honors American Studies class, and bitching about not having anything to say. Or, in this class's case, anything to say that would earn me an A. It was one of those classes where you had to write your teacher's opinion in order to get a good grade, and I almost had a differing opinion than his. Bring on the Bs! I've suffered through college with the same issues, although thankfully I didn't have a TON of papers in college. Anyhow, I've come up with a bunch of ways to break the writer's block throughout the years of struggle... and I've compiled them for you here in an effort to break, well, my writer's block.

The Writer's Technique

The first thing I do when I'm stuck in a rut is read... anything. Literally anything. I'll go on Pinterest and read quotes, grab whatever book happens to be as close to my bed as possible, go to Tumblr and read whatever craziness happens to pop up on my dash. Most of the time I'll find something that inspires me or makes me think and I'll be able to carry on. (Although this really only works when I'm writing blog posts... if I'm working on a school paper, it's straight procrastination.)

I'm notorious for only writing late at night or procrastinating on papers until 11pm the night before they're due. Nothing re-energizes you like a dance party in your room. I'm telling ya, nobody has to know you think you've got moves like Beyonce. Just close your curtains and blast it.

LOL. If these first two steps don't help you to get back on track... you're basically doomed from here on out.

Maybe I'm hungry. Maybe I need some food to refocus and my brain will work better! Just a healthy snack... carrots and celery with hummus or something. Celery and peanut butter! Great idea! Wait, wait. Where the HELL... WHO PUT THESE COOKIES HERE?

Just one cookie.

...Three cookies later...

I could def use some relaxing time. This paper is stressing me out too much. Just one episode of Vampire Diaries on Netflix. I'll make some popcorn and just.. just one episode.

Three hours and three episodes later... It's midnight?! What in the... Okay, time to buckle down.

I have got this.

Oo! Idea!

I always write better when I'm drunk anyways. I'll just double grammar/spellcheck it in the morning.

YAYYYY WINE! Now I'll really kick some ass on this paper/post/whatever.

The wine is not making me tired. The wine is not making me tired. I don't need sleep. I don't need sleep.

.... SHIT I'M LATE. HOW DID I FALL ASLEEP?! PAPER! PAPER! PAPER IS... DONE? 

Paper is done. When the hell did that happen? Oh well, time to go. Pants.

Coffee. This day sucks already.

It's 10:05am. Paper is due at 10:15am. Walk to class is 15 minutes. Good.

10:14am. **Hands professor paper**

HA TAKE THAT PAPER. I'm a f***ing pro.

Goodnight world.

xo

What's Your Story?

When I start writing, I usually try to think of a title first thing. I'm a very logical person, so logically it makes sense to me to think of a title and then write the post, you know? Anyway, I'm usually extremely successful at it. Or at least I was, until today. 

Sometimes I'm curious if I'm the only one who goes through weeks at a time where I just feel totally and completely uninspired by anything and everything in my life. I turned 21, so I've been a bit busier than usual. I went to New York City last weekend, and I was in Boston this past weekend. I've had a great time and spent far too much money on wine and clothes things I really needed... but in spite of all that fun, I've just been in a funk.

I went to write this post knowing that I needed to write to get whatever it was I was feeling off my chest. I write every night before bed in a journal and I looked back on what I wrote over the past two weeks. A lot of it rotated around fear. Fear of letting go, and fear of moving on. It's not a new feeling to me as I'm sure you all know given how many times I've written about it. But there it was-- what I was going to write about-- fear, yet again. And then I came to write the title of the post and was utterly lost.

photo; modified by Emily Blauvelt

It sounds funny, but I realized then and there what was wrong with me. I've been trying so hard to envision a life for myself that seems ideal, and forgetting to actually focus on the here and now. I've been trying to figure out what the title of my life story will be called, before fully appreciating and taking part in the life experiences that make it a story worth telling.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about who I could be a year from now. It feels like I'm drowning in a sea of what if's. I hate constantly asking myself whether or not I can do something. Because the truth is, up until this point in my life, I have managed to prove myself time and time again. And, if the future is anything like the past, then I'll continue to do so. But it's scary-- this point in my life. It's different than graduating high school; there is no safety net, and I've never been without a net to catch me if I fall. 

At this point in life, it's really easy to worry about how your actions now affect your future later. It's a good thing to worry about, but not in excess. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without having done the things I've done to get here. You can't forget to live because you're afraid of who you'll be a few years down the line. It's easy to miss things that are happening now because you're so focused on where you'll be in the future. But you got rid of the blinders, and get past the idea of there being any kind of prize in the future. You can't write the title of a story without actually having a story, because without a story, a title means nothing. In my rapidly expanding book of life lessons, when you're talking about people, a title is what people first judge you by, but a story consists of all the people and emotions and events that have made you you. So don't forget to write your story, but more importantly, don't forget to live it.

"Every story is based on a truth. Your truth."

xo

p.s. YES I most absolutely purposefully used a picture of Taylor Swift for this post because 1989 drops today! WHO'S EXCITED?!

21 Things

Today is my 21st birthday! My birthday has always been a favorite of mine for obvious reasons, and while in recent years it's been a little harder than usual, being alive one more year is always something to be thankful for! It's especially something to be thankful for when you can legally drink wine! Last night I celebrated at home with my family and friends and left feeling completely blessed. My best friend who goes to school in NY kept her mouth shut all weekend without letting me know she was in town and showed up at my front door, completely casual. And I cried my eyes out. Definitely a picture perfect evening. It was a great night, and tonight I celebrate with my closest girlfriends here at home! Japanese and scorpion bowls it is!

But, as I reflected last night in bed on the past 21 years of my life, I couldn't help but stumble upon all the different things I've learned. A lot of them are things I wish I'd been told when I was younger, so I brainstormed these 21 things I've learned about life thus far.

1. Hate is heavy, for your happiness you have to let it go.

2. Burning bridges hurts no one but yourself.

3. Make time for the people who make time for you.

4. Family is everything-- make them a priority, always.

5. Never leave angry.

6. Work hard, and stay humble.

7. Speak your truth.*

8. Joy is the best make-up.

9. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

10. Dance with the boy.*

11. Love with your whole heart.*

12. It's okay if you're not okay.

13. There's always a silver lining.**

14. When worst comes to worst, a friend is only a phone call, (or if you're lucky, a room) away.

15. Always be there for those you care most about, even if it's 2am and all you want to do is sleep. You never know when you'll be needing them.

16. There's a Taylor Swift song for everything.

17. Learn to budget.

18. Call your mom.

19. Accept others for who they are, flaws and all.

20. Accept yourself for who you are, flaws and all.

21. You are beautiful, no matter what voices or people tell you otherwise, you are beautiful. Inside and out.

* These lessons have been inspired by close friends and family, two of the largest influences on all that I've learned in my life.

** This lesson is definitely from Silver Linings Playbook, because it's in my top 3 favorite movies, and "the world will break your heart ten ways to Sunday", but "you have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, you have a shot at a silver lining." So yeah, to me, there's always a silver lining-- if you remember to find it.

xo

Favorite Fall Phone Backgrounds

I'm definitely the kind of person who changes her phone cases and phone backgrounds with the season. It gets particularly crazy around the holidays, but fall is a big transition from the bright colors of summer too. Since I upgraded to the iPhone 5, I've been rocking this adorable case and I'm loving it. I love it even more than other cases I've had in the past because it's basically a neutral, and the anal side of myself enjoys when everything on my phone matches. #sorrrynotsorry

Lately I've been seeing some pretty cute phone backgrounds on Pinterest, and it got me inspired for the upcoming cooler days! You can bet I'll be rocking some of these this fall!

Feels like Fall

Fitzgerald / Harvest / Fall In Love / Hello, Autumn / Pumpkins / I love you, fall! / Let it fall... / Leaves

Which one is your favorite?

xo

Foodie Fridays: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake

Going with the pumpkin kick I've been on this week, I spent some time in the kitchen yesterday making this delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cake from Two Peas and Their Pod. I made a few substitutions here and there (partially for health reason and partially because I forgot the butter I needed in my apartment fridge..), but it ended up turning out great!

A Pumpkin Fetish

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It was brought to my attention last week when I did my fall to-do list that it was "aggressively about apples." It was also brought to my attention that the whole list could have been more #basic. It then turned into this thing about how I could be more basic. Good times!! I'm not sure how I feel about this #basic thing, but I swore then and there that I would dedicate a whole post about how much basics (and me) love pumpkins. Here it is!

Fall Jackets Under $100

Fall is my favorite time of year, hands down. Mostly because of all the cinnamon-y, delicious, apple-y food. But following in a close second place, are jackets. I've always had this weird fetish with them, and am constantly on the look out for more. But you'd be surprised to find that my collection is actually really pathetic. I think I just have a hard time splurging on things when I know they're seasonal. Actually, I kind of just have a hard time splurging on things in general (except, of course, on Black Friday or Cyber Monday... but even then, they're on sale.)

Tough Love

Have you ever been venting to someone and when it came time for them to give some much-needed advice, it just... wasn't what you wanted to hear? Or if you get a double whammy, it wasn't what you wanted to hear and it just downright hurt. I'm right in saying we've all had those moments, right? Am I also right in saying that often times, friendships take complete turns after someone is just completely honest with you? Whether it be about where they're at, or where you're at, the raw truth can have serious impacts on friendships.

Sundays In Bed

Anybody else need an extra dose of caffeine this morning?

It seems like this weekend flew by. I've been fighting this brutal cold for about a week now and yesterday I finally just took a day to rest. Unfortunately, that resulted in a lot of catching up on TV shows and not so much work... So while I'm swamped today, I've still got the things that caught my eye this week!

Good Reads

I've been battling this rotten cold since Sunday, and it legitimately sucks. All I want to do is curl up in bed forever and read every book imaginable in between naps. Like, how nice would that be? But guess what. Life must go on and I can't wait until this weekend when I hopefully have some recovery time (most likely to occur whilst procrastinating on writing a paper and studying for an exam...). 

Yesterday I may not have had classes but I did work 13 hours straight. So that was fun! Safe to say I climbed into bed and passed out, after attempting to read for 15 minutes.

I went to write the summaries/synopses (is that even the right plural for synopsis?), but then I realized I was exhausted and had only read four of the ten books on the list. So in my complete and utter laziness, I looked up the summaries. Turns out the internet is a lifesaver for bloggers who don't feel like writing summaries of books they want to read. Click away!

What To Do This Fall

Fall is my all-time favorite season. Where I live, people come visit for the foliage. And I can't say I blame them because it's all just so gorgeous around this time of year. We got a taste of fall this past week, and while we seem to be getting one more heat rush, I still find myself dreaming of apple picking and hot cider.

Fall has always been the best of seasons for me because it's when my birthday is (less than three weeks to 21 people!!), but it's also a favorite amongst a lot of my family members. My parents always made it special growing up by carving pumpkins and making pies and doing all that fun stuff. To this day, the smell of apples is an instant mood-booster (although, that might just be because I love apple pie.)

Emily Ley Designs

Okay, so I've known about Emily Ley for a while now. I'm not sure how Emily's Simplified Planner didn't make the cut for my top 5 planners for life list, but wow, am I regretting that! I'm also seriously questioning how I overlooked that.

The Simplified Journal / 2015 Simplified Planner / Grace Not Perfection / Do What Matters Art Print / Notepad-To Do / Magazine Box / Memory Box

Making the Cut

We all reach a point in our lives where we're just sick of the bulls***. We're sick of fake smiling at people we don't like, sick of holding onto friendships that don't serve us in a positive way, sick of trying to be somebody we're not to please those around us. Sick of feeling like we're stuck in this never-ending bubble of scrutiny from every which way. In case you haven't gathered this, I kind of learned a lot of life lessons this summer, so buckle up-- because they're all starting to really hit me.

I feel like I've always been the girl with a wide range of friends. I could hang out with different "groups" in high school and get along fine, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I really found my inner circle. I'm a firm believer in the idea that every girl needs a close, tight-knit group of friends.

Growing up, I had a lot of great friendships that came and went-- some that even still linger. But when life gets busy, and your best friends move to new cities, and they find new friends to have amazing adventures with, it gets hard to stay in touch. I think a lot of us have a really hard time grasping this, the idea that it's okay to move on. Some friendships aren't meant to last forever, and there comes a point where you're just not willing to give up some precious free time for people who ultimately don't mean that much to you. You were friendly acquaintances once upon a time, but now you want to spend your weekends with the girls who have been with you through it all. To hell and back. And then back again.

 The majority of people I love the most I speak to every day--partially because I live with two of them, partially because I like to annoy a select few of them with random texts consisting of solely emojis, and partially because a girl's best friends aren't going to leave her alone ever (even when you sometimes maybe want them to!) But then I also have the best friends I talk to once in a while, but when we're together everything is the same.

It's these friendships that I value the most. The girls who have made the cut. A lot of us spend a fair majority of high school (and college, even) trying to figure out where we belong. Who will be the ones holding your hair back and letting you cry over everything and anything? Who will be the ones coming into your room on Sunday morning to go over the night before? Who will be the ones standing next to you on your wedding day? Who will be the ones that the boy who broke your heart is down right terrified of?

It's okay to make the cut. It's healthy for people to move on as they grow older. Every friendship we've ever had has taught us something special, and that's the point of some friendships. You acknowledge what this person taught you, and you go on with your life. But the girls who made the cut? There's a good chance that once they've made it, they'll stay there. Forever. And that's all that really matters in the end. We all know who said our best friends are our real soul mates, right?

xo

Autumn Feels

Truth be told, the Fall 2014 runway shows were not my favorite. There were a lot of out there trends that I just can't pull off and don't really care to. When it comes to fall, I'm all about being cozy. Boots, long sleeves, pants, scarves, jackets. Give me all the layers!

The only problem with the layering situation is that usually by the time I get to class I'm sweating buckets. Love the look, hate the feel (but we all make sacrifices, right?). I've been doing a bit of online shopping here and there, and while I don't have my fall wardrobe down just right (as a matter of fact, it's not even close), at least I have an idea of what I'm looking for! The top of my list? A comfy pair of sneakers. Not only do I love the ones below, but I'm obsessed with these ones in particular.

Check out my top picks for fall below!

Red dress, $24 / Tory Burch slim fit sweater / Boohoo aztec print top / ONLY cream top, $45 / MANGO cotton shirt, $49 / Uniqlo t shirt / Paige Denim slim fit jeans, $315 / J Brand super skinny jeans, $245 / Paige Denim skinny jeans, $270 / Circle skirt / Tory burch boots / Sole Society high heel boots / Vans grey shoes / Converse shoes, $84 / Kate spade wallet / Sole Society scarve

I'm trying to get myself to invest in a good pair of jeans. Any thoughts on Paige Denim? Help a girl out! I'd love your input!

Saying No

The one thing I hate more than anything in this world is disappointing people. It absolutely destroys me when I let people down, so I obviously do my best not to. But there is a line that gets crossed when you forget how to say no for fear of disappointing those around you. Whether they be employers, friends, or family, sometimes you just have to say no. And I suck at it.

In late July/early August, I found myself saying yes to every opportunity that came my way. I didn't realize that in doing this I had also bitten off far, far, far (far) more than I could chew. When classes started, it became even more apparent that I was not only essentially losing my mind, but my work was suffering too. If anything, this summer has taught me that I by no means want my entire life to be work. It also taught me that by saying yes to so many things, I was basically sabotaging myself.

In the past week, I finished up an internship, I dropped two shifts at the gym I work at, and I spent two whole days worrying about nothing work or school-related whatsoever. I changed my days at my other internship to Mondays and Wednesdays so that I could have Fridays all clear. And last Friday I slept until 11. I made myself a healthy breakfast, watched some TV, did some serious Pinterest-ing, and then went to get my first manicure in months. There were a few moments here and there where I found myself worrying about this or that, what assignment was due, or whether or not I was going to get this project done for my internship. But for the first time in what felt like months I pushed those thoughts from my mind. I just couldn't afford them.

I was so busy all summer that my happiness was on the line. One minute I'd be on cloud nine and the next thinking the whole of the world was out to get me. I've been feeling so incredibly off balance lately that I forgot what just living was like. I realized that it was okay to take a day to do the things I enjoy doing. I baked an apple crisp, I drank some wine, I spent quality time with friends, and I did a whole lot of nothing. It was down-right amazing.

When I was younger, I never had a problem saying no to people. I think I saw growing up as a sort of end to that freedom. The freedom to say no. But if there was anything younger Emily had going for her it was that she always knew what was best for herself. And now I guess I'm just trying to get back to that. I don't have to do it all. I can say "no" to people. I can do what's best for me, unapologetically.

And that's 100% okay.

Goodbye Summer

Writing the title of this post took every ounce of energy I have left after what seems like a summer of working. I know we all spend our summers working, but oh my gosh. This is the first summer in the history of, well, ever, that I've thought, "Wait, summer can't end." I am a fall baby all the way. I love it. But, the thought of classes starting and having homework on top of all the other stuff I already have to do kind of makes me want to throw up. Really, you should see my to-do lists.

There are some things you just can't change though, and the fact that I have my first class at 3:00 today is one of them. Did I mention it's three hours long? Jokes on jokes. And fingers crossed it doesn't actually go that long. This summer has some major highs and major lows; it's been by far the most beneficial summer for me. I've learned a lot, worked a lot, and laughed a lot. A good combination if you do ask me!

Anyway, I've seen a lot of "Hey, it's ok!" posts out there this summer. Inspired by Glamour and my favorite blogger, The College Prepster, I've decided to do my own as a kind of testament to this summer and all it's taught me.

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To eat a completely oversized bowl of stove-popped popcorn a day.

To kiss the boy you'll never in your life see again.

To color code your planner compulsively.

To wake up to a room completely destroyed by getting ready the night before.

To eat pizza at 2a.m.
To legitimately dream about Chris Soules from The Bachelorette.

To spend a rainy day holed up with your best friend watching Dirty Dancing, eating cupcakes, and ordering in.

To drink a bottle of wine on a Wednesday night while watching Love Actually.

To spend every spare moment (though few and far between) binge-watching HIMYM. 

To drop your phone in a toilet at a country concert.

To tell all your friends you dropped your phone in a toilet at a country concert.

To forget to check that all the members of the gym you work at are out of the building BEFORE you close it up (oops!).

To hang out with friends until 6am just talking about who knows what.

To go to Mexico and indulge in as many fruity drinks as possible (#judgeme).

To practically cry at a Disney fireworks show.

To force your family to watch every  fireworks show that Disney World has to offer.

To bawl your eyes out at the movies, tissue box in hand.

To talk to your dog like they're an actual person, because really, aren't they basically?

To not want to go back to classes because holy crap, you're graduating in May.

To not want to grow up.
To, at the same time, want to grow up.

To secretly like (gasp!) Mondays.

Happy Monday!

The Past 36 Hours

If there was a motto I've been abiding by for the past 36 hours it's this one:

That's actually all I can say about the past two days because they were, for lack of a better word, a shit-show. You know those weeks when everything is just going so bad/weird? But everything that happens isn't detrimental to your existence or long-term happiness? It's just when life is so random and awful and nuts at the same time that you seriously just have to laugh. 

Your recap, because sometimes my life can be slightly comical.

WARNING: Some of this information people would find inappropriate, but it's my blog and I'll be honest with y'all.

Things that happened when Emily and Paige left to go see Luke Bryan in New York Sunday morning.

Full disclosure here folks. You were warned.

We easily spent $200 between gas, food, beverages, parking, and coffee in the span of 12 hours. We're in college. We get stuck in traffic in literally the most tempting place on the planet. Outlets. The J. Crew outlet. The shoe sales. Sneak in a quick sing-a-long to "Ain't Nothin' 'Bout You" by Brooks & Dunn because duh. Get to the concert venue, spy cops. Just like that $30 worth of beverages is gone. Whatever, cops. Sit in car in wrong parking lot fuming about lost money and (eh, hem) beverages. The cops are gone! We're leaving and hitting the nearest gas station. Cops can't get us down! $20 later and a few white lies to the gatekeepers so we didn't have to pay for parking again and we're back in business! Let's find our friends and have fun! Can't find our friends. Decide to have fun anyways. I have to go to the bathroom. Phone is in back pocket. You see where this is going? Phone is in toilet. 

You needn't know the rest, but I am now using a great lil flip phone that the woman I work for gave me to use for the next week! Woo! Here comes the carpal tunnel. Still, I'm semi-connected to society so really, thank-freakin-goodness. 12 hours pass. Children I nanny consistently make fun of me for dropping my phone in a toilet. Roommates make fun of me for dropping my phone in a toilet. My old, previously undamaged iPhone is sitting pretty in a bag of rice.

I got back to my apartment last night and some stupidhead was parked in my parking space. #annoying And yes, I called for a tow. #sorrynotsorry #suckstosuck #atleastyouhaveacellphone Had to move my car back to my parking space once stupidhead's car was gone, and couldn't find my keys anywhere. Here's the kicker: they were in my car!!! Good.

I'm down a phone, about 17 notches of patience, and 30,000 units of sanity. The plus side? I'm up about three good stories and a s*** ton of laughing.

That's all I've got for you. Happy Tuesday.

Sundays In Bed

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I'm currently on my way to Saratoga, NY for a Luke Bryan concert with my best friend!! If you're wondering if I already saw him this summer, the answer is yes. In DC. But my motto is that you can never have too much Luke. And I will stand by that forever. But if you're relaxing all day and laying around (which is just what I did literally all day yesterday), then I've got your reading for you :)

"No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."

1. Monday was a hard day for so, so many people. We lost such a great actor and comedian. I love that Disney now recognizes the loss at the end of Aladdin, and of all the tributes out there, this one has been my favorite.

2. On that note, the profound quotes from Robin Williams that helped shape our generation.

3. An experience earlier this week really taught me that you can't let the little, stupid things break your happiness. Really, sticks and stones, my friends.

4. I fell in love with this print while shopping around on Etsy this week. Oh, and this one. And this one.

5. There are no words for how jealous I am of Rach Parcell's closet. No doubt about it, it's my dream closet.

6. Summer is coming to an end in (UGH) one week! Excuse me while I go cry. The 21 highs and lows girls go through when summer ends. Jeans and sweatpants = no shaving season (AKA the only good thing about summer ending)!

7. Loving these ALS Ice Bucket Challenge videos! Have you been nominated?!

8. THIS IS HAPPENING TOMORROW AND I CAN'T WAIT.

9. Check out the latest post on my other (newer) blog, life, lemons & vodka (LL&V)! What is the perfect relationship?

10. A new playlist for the end of summer and a new school year!

Sticks and Stones

I missed Monday's usual post because I had a hell of a weekend and life just got in the way of things. And just when I thought my reign of bad luck was at an end, I met an asshole at the gym while I was working yesterday. Really, I kid you not.

Let me tell you what happened.

(p.s. can you tell I'm not too happy about it?)

DIY Sugar Scrub

So, last Saturday I was really struggling with just that "Ew I feel gross" feeling. I don't know if it was the stress from the week prior that did it, but my skin was a mess and I was in dire need of a relaxing/skin soothing remedy. Obviously, I took to Pinterest and found a sugar scrub that I thought would be simple enough to try on this site.

I. loved. it. 

My skin felt so smooth after washing my face with it, and it smelled good too! Win-win situation, right? Right. I highly recommend this recipe. It honestly felt like I had bought a scrub from Lush. The scrub I bought last summer in London clearly ran out within two months and I haven't made it to a store since.. and yes, believe it or not, that time in London was my only time in the store. #smalltownproblems

Sundays In Bed

Source

This week was really busy but really great! My Sunday is looking to be a bit busier than usual, but that's okay. Thursday night I drove down to MA with my friend Sara to see One Direction with my aunt and my cousin. Judge me, but it. was. great. I'm an official boy band fan, and I'm attributing it to the fact that I never got to see the Backstreet Boys in concert. Gotta get the boy band craziness out of my system, ya know? Anyway, when I wasn't listening to One Direction, here's what caught my eye this week.

Eat, Sleep, Be, Repeat

Alright friends. If I'm being completely honest with you, I sat down to write a different post at 12:30 last night and realized that I. just. could. not. The past four nights I've been up until 3am doing work and it's killing me. I'm exhausted. So exhausted in fact that Wednesday night after work when I went to my friend's house, I nearly passed out on her couch. Work ended at 9pm mind you, after starting at 10am. Hooray for long, summer days!

I really can't complain because my jobs are awesome and I'm incredibly lucky to have them, but you guys, I need a break today. I'm currently in MA (at the beach as we speak), and I want to enjoy every minute of the remaining five or so hours I have of this mini-break without being stressed or exhausted. It makes me act like a b**** to people I care about and easily irritated (which is saying something because it doesn't take much to irritate me in the first place.) Anyway, it's finally Friday and I seriously, seriously, challenge you to really take care of yourself this weekend. We all need a little TLC from time to time.

School in Style No. 2: Varsity Player

True story, I'm in love with the whole "varsity" look that's coming in for fall. Sports-inspired looks were all over the runways and I gotta say, I am so happy about it. I basically live in my sneakers on a day-to-day basis (I nanny and work at a gym.. okay?!), so this trend might seriously be the best thing to happen to me this season.

One of the biggest criteria for dressing myself in the morning is comfort. If my outfit isn't comfy, it is not going to be a good day. As a matter of fact, it's one of the quickest ways to put me in a bad mood. I'm a firm believer in the idea that comfort is key, and if you're not comfortable in the clothes you're wearing, how are you supposed to rock them in confidence? Bring on the boyfriend jeans, t-shirt dresses, and sneaks please!

My Go-To Beauty Products

I've taken years to perfect my getting-ready routine. I remember in middle school, I use to wake up every morning at 6 (school started at 8:40) so that I could do my hair and make-up and whatever else I did and make it to school on time. Looking back on those days, and even high school, I'm like, "Holy crap, what on earth did I do for two and a half hours in the morning?" It honestly blows my mind because now I wake up 45 minutes to an hour before I need to be anywhere, and I'm almost always ready in under half an hour. #thankgoodness

I attribute the improvement of my get-ready time to my go-to products. We all have our favorites, but these are the things that make my life easier. It will take a lot for me to stray from them. A lot.

3 Things to Know Before Getting an Internship

So a few weeks ago I landed a new internship! It's virtual so I can do it from here, but the woman I'm working for is based in NYC (!!!). I landed it on none other than Internships.com and it's been going really well so far. I've already learned so much in the few weeks I've been working with her, I'm actually amazed. Not only am I learning things that I will be using in my career, but a lot of the things I'm learning I can apply to my blog as well.

I waited a long time to get my first internship. I didn't land my first one until the start of last semester (er... junior year), and now I'm taking on my third internship! Come fall, I'm pretty sure I'll be doing three and taking a full schedule of classes. (*Insert panic attack here*) I may or may not have bit off more than I can chew, but what's new? The bottom line is, I feel like I've learned enough from my experience to give you a few pointers if you're starting on the hunt for an internship this coming semester.

Writing An Untold Story

I knew from an early age that what I should be doing would involve writing in some way or another. I loved reading as a kid, I loved the fairytales, and I remember sitting at my old computer in my basement attempting to write my own stories and poems. Obviously, all of them never really went anywhere serious. But they did end up going everywhere in my life. When I started keeping journals for example. Doodles, thoughts, poems, outlines for stories I wanted to write someday. They're all there, a little bit of my imagination and fantasies mixed in with my reality. In school, writing became a strong point for me. In college, I kept writing little tidbits on my phone here and there. And when I truly felt like I was about to explode, I started this blog. (For funsies, check out my first post!)

To me, writing is a go-to for processing emotions and life and my passions. It's undoubtedly my biggest passion (followed closely by out-of-my-price-range clothing), and I find it so sad that one of the things I love most is one of the things that is so overlooked nowadays. Why write if you can't fit it into 140 characters?

Sundays In Bed

Happy Sunday loves! I hope your day is relaxing and started with a delicious brunch! Enjoy relaxing before Monday hits, I'm not feeling so ready for this one...

Foodie Fridays: 5 Healthy Salad Recipes

This summer hasn't exactly been the healthiest of summers. If I'm being honest, there's been far too much wine (lol kidding there's no such thing...) and too many carbs. I attribute most of it to the fact that the last thing I feel like doing is spending money on expensive healthy food. Chopping up vegetables and lettuce for salad just doesn't appeal to me when you can cook spinach tortellini in four minutes. But chopping up salad will save me from burning my arm yet again (I'm going on five burn marks on my right arm). Plus, I haven't gained the freshman 15 yet and now that I'm a senior I really can't sink to that level. But the real bottom line is, ovens and I just don't get along. I can wholeheartedly say I wish I was kidding.

Anyone feel me?

Anyway, recently I've just been feeling so blah. Not "blah" as in like uninspired or I hate my life or anything, but "blah" like UGH WHERE ARE ALL THE NUTRIENTS I WAS GETTING WHEN I WAS LIVING AT HOME AND NOT WORRYING ABOUT HOW MUCH HEALTHY FOOD COST BECAUSE MY MOM BOUGHT IT? New goal for this year: learn to cook without burning myself because I'm seriously starting to hate pasta (the only thing I can cook). But in the meantime, I'll be turning to an easy, healthy alternative that for the most part does not require an oven. Salad. Yay! While salad doesn't always require cooking, it does require preparation. And I find preparation annoying. But I suppose it's time I get over it. So...

I give you, dear friends, delicious salad recipes that I might will actually eat

1. International Quinoa Salad via Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

2. Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad w/ Poppyseed Dressing via gimme some oven

3. Apple, Pecan, and Goat Cheese Quinoa Salad via greens & chocolate

4. Healthy Kale & Pomegranate Salad via Best Recipe Box

5. Healthy Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad via Ambitious Kitchen

So here's my game plan:

It's the start of August. My funds are slowly starting to get back in order after an extremely expensive June (remember how I went to Mexico?). Time to start living like a real life grown up and prepping food for the week. Time to start figuring out how to properly use an oven in a manner that does not result in me burning myself. 

Final goal: Prep lunch salads for the week (Mon.-Fri.) each Sunday. #imhealthyduh

What's your fave go-to salad? Let me know in the comments below, as of today I'm on the hunt for new recipes :)

Side note: How come no one tells us how adulthood is simultaneously awesome and absolutely horrible??

xoxo